Regional Manager, Southeast

Studs is a category-defining ear piercing and earring brand named one of “the 10 most innovative companies in retail for 2023” by Fast Company. Studs connects ear piercing with aftercare and earring shopping to create an end-to-end Earscaping® experience. We offer a better retail and digital experience that prioritizes safety and expertise in a cool, fun and welcoming environment, along with a wide earring assortment—all at an accessible price point.

The Regional Manager, Mid-Atlantic & Southeast oversees Studs studios across Nashville, Atlanta, Charleston, Miami, Tampa, New Orleans, Northern Virginia, and Washington D.C.—a geographically broad, high-growth region that spans both established and emerging Studs markets. Reporting directly to the CEO, this leader drives financial performance, operational consistency, and team development across 8+ studios while playing a critical field partnership role as Studs continues expanding its national footprint.

This role requires a highly autonomous operator capable of managing a dispersed portfolio—balancing market-specific nuance with a consistent Studs experience—and serves as the connective tissue between studio-level execution and HQ strategy.

Salary Range: $125,000–$155,000, plus equity

Key Responsibilities:

• Operational Leadership

  • Own revenue, labor efficiency, and KPI performance across all Mid-Atlantic and Southeast studios, driving accountability to targets at the studio and regional level.
  • Ensure consistent adherence to Studs brand standards across staffing, scheduling, visual presentation, and guest experience in a geographically dispersed portfolio.
  • Analyze studio-level results to identify performance gaps, develop corrective action plans, and prioritize resource allocation across markets.
  • Partner cross-functionally on new studio openings, local operational initiatives, and regional rollout of HQ-led programs.

• People Leadership & Development

  • Manage, coach, and develop Studio Managers across the region to deliver strong team performance, engagement, and retention.
  • Build leadership bench strength across markets; identify and develop internal talent for future growth roles as the region expands.
  • Partner with People, Retail Training, and Piercing Education teams to ensure onboarding, development, and performance management programs land effectively across a distributed team.
  • Model and reinforce a culture of accountability, inclusion, and feedback consistent with Studs values and leadership expectations.

• Strategic Partnership & Growth

  • Serve as the field voice for the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast in HQ-level planning, providing grounded operational perspective across a diverse market portfolio.
  • Collaborate with Finance and Retail Ops on labor planning, headcount alignment, and P&L management across 8+ studios.
  • Support new studio openings across the region, providing pre-open field leadership, talent readiness, and post-open stabilization.
  • Lead regional business reviews, talent calibration, and communication cascades across a geographically distributed team.

Requirements:

• 7+ years of multi-unit retail leadership experience, ideally in service-driven or experiential environments (e.g., beauty, hospitality, or specialty retail).
• Demonstrated success managing P&L, labor %, and revenue growth across geographically dispersed markets.
• Strong track record in leadership development, coaching, and building high-performing teams in remote or distributed environments.
• Excellent organizational and communication skills; able to influence and collaborate across functions and levels without in-person proximity to HQ.
• Based in or willing to relocate to the Mid-Atlantic or Southeast region; frequent regional travel required (air travel expected), with occasional national travel for offsites or openings.
• Weekend and evening availability for studio visits and key events.

Benefits & Perks

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, including $0 in-network mental health visits, commuter benefits and 401k
• HSA (Health Savings Account) or FSA (Flexible Spending Account)
• Flexible Work Environment (3 days in Studio, 2 days work from home)
• Gender affirmation support services, EAP sessions and work/life resources 
• 4 weeks accrued Paid Time Off, 7 days accrued Sick Time, 11 paid holidays, and 4 Quarterly Wellness Days (where the whole team takes time off together to recharge)
• Three months of paid Parental Leave (biological, adoptive, and foster parents are all eligible) to support a healthy work/life balance 
• A paid sabbatical after four years of full-time service
• Discounts on piercings and products (we’ve got discounts to cover your friends and family too!)
• Access to PerkSpot and additional benefits such as pet insurance, discounted tickets, personal finance coaching, healthy rewards and extended life insurance

Studs is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a work environment that fosters diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity without regard to race, color, gender, age, creed, sex, religion, national origin, disability (physical or mental), marital status, citizenship, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, or any other legally protected status. Studs considers qualified applicants with criminal histories. We comply with applicable state and local laws prohibiting discrimination in employment in every jurisdiction in which we operate. If you require an accommodation for the application process, please fill out this form.

Massachusetts Applicants: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. 

Click here for the Studs Privacy Notice for California Applicants.